BLF SBS Round 3 - Clyde River, Batemans Bay - 22nd March 2015

Two weekends ago I was able to fish a new location: The Clyde River at Batemans Bay for round 3 of the Basin Lure and Fly Southern Bream Series. This was a special event as it was an affiliated ABT Hobie event and was also the NSW State Titles. With 4 spots up for grabs for the Hobie Daiwa Grand Final at the end of the year, everyone knew it would be a hotly contested round. This was my first crack at a Hobie round this year so to grab one of the GF qualifying spots would be extra sweet. Just after 7am, 30 kayaks set off to find the elusive Clyde River bream.

I didn't have to travel far to my first set of racks and only a few racks away from me was good mate Terry Grima. Only a few minutes into it and Terry is on but the hooks pulled on a very good fish just as he was about to net it. Man, that had to hurt.

I'd been trying a few surface lures without much interest so I switched to the HB lure that worked so well for me in round 1: a GLADIATOR Fishing Tackle Shiver Vibe. I didn't have any of my favourite purple and black colour, so I tied on colour SV4003 (Brown). After a few tentative bumps, I finally hooked up solid and fish number 1 came to the net. 32 fork, so not a bad start.

I had the lure rigged on 8lb fluoro and 8lb Gosen Mebarin Pe. I was casting them as close to the racks as possible, letting them settle for a few seconds before I gently lifted them a foot or so before letting them drop back down. That brown Shiver Vibe didn't last long as I was absolutely smoked by a beast that I just couldn't get up and coming towards me. In fact, this guy started to pull me and the kayak towards him and eventually he did me on one of the posts supporting the racks.

On goes another Shiver Vibe and it's not long before I get destroyed by another brute. Terry has also lost two fish so there are a few big ones about. I tie on another colour (SV4012) and I eventually get number 2 in the well. Over the next 30 minutes I'm busted up twice more and land a few undersize bream before the bite shuts down.

I decided to move upriver, hoping to find fish in a variety of places (mangrove edges, weed beds, submerged rocky boulders) but I just can't land a legal bream. Time ticks on and I decide I'm going back to my original racks to have another quick try to get number 3. I'm eagerly casting away when Eric Wood drifts past and he has his 3. "Well done," I say as he heads off. "Ya mongrel,' I mutter as he gets out of earshot... : P

It's 1:16pm, only 29 minutes to go when my last Shiver Vibe gets whacked and I lay into the fish and get him in quick smart. As he skips across the surface he must be thinking 'What the hell is going on here?' Phew, that's my 3. I'm guessing I've got about 1.4kgs, so I'm hopeful for a top 10 placing.

Back at the weigh-in there's lots of tales of woe and misery and I'm surprised to take out 3rd place with 1.39kgs, just pipping the in-form Simon Morley by 10 grams. Eric took out 2nd place with 1.59kgs (congrats Eric) and the number 1 spot was taken out by Luke Kay with 1.69kgs. Luke is blitzing it, with three 1sts and two 2nds in his last 5 tournaments, pretty amazing stuff and well deserved, too.

We were all stoked to grab those qualifying spots for the Hobie Daiwa GF and we're all keen as mustard to get to the next round on the Shoalhaven next month. Thanks to Ian Phillips and his team for putting on another great event and thanks to all the sponsors for making these tournaments what they are. Thanks also to Stephen Blackmore from Gladiator Tackle for his support and the great gear that's helping me get the results.

The next round is down on the Shoalhaven River. This place can bit a bit tricky, but she's been pretty good to me a few times before, so hopefully I can find a fish or two. Ideally, I'd like to find at least three, but I'll start with one.

On a different note, after 6 years, Adam and I are winding up the Kayak Fishing Sydney website. It's served it's purpose well and has allowed us to sell quite a few DVD's and introduce a lot of new people to the world of kayak fishing.We had fun making it and bringing it to fruition and who knows, maybe one day we'll do another one. Thanks for coming on this adventure Adam, we made a pretty good team.

I'll still be doing this Blog however, so you'll still be able to pick up many fishing tips through the reports. In fact, there are over 200 reports on the blog now, so there is heaps and heaps of information on different species and locations that'll help you get into a few fish. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid